EP0612995A1 - Verbindung und Verfahren zur automatischen Bestimmung der Dichte eines Gegenstandes - Google Patents

Verbindung und Verfahren zur automatischen Bestimmung der Dichte eines Gegenstandes Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0612995A1
EP0612995A1 EP94301359A EP94301359A EP0612995A1 EP 0612995 A1 EP0612995 A1 EP 0612995A1 EP 94301359 A EP94301359 A EP 94301359A EP 94301359 A EP94301359 A EP 94301359A EP 0612995 A1 EP0612995 A1 EP 0612995A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
weighing
density
gripper means
gripper
balance
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP94301359A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0612995B1 (de
Inventor
Reginald Paul C/O British Nuclear Glenville
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sellafield Ltd
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British Nuclear Fuels PLC
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by British Nuclear Fuels PLC filed Critical British Nuclear Fuels PLC
Publication of EP0612995A1 publication Critical patent/EP0612995A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0612995B1 publication Critical patent/EP0612995B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N9/00—Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity
    • G01N9/08—Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity by measuring buoyant force of solid materials by weighing both in air and in a liquid
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C17/00—Monitoring; Testing ; Maintaining
    • G21C17/06—Devices or arrangements for monitoring or testing fuel or fuel elements outside the reactor core, e.g. for burn-up, for contamination
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically measuring the density of an object.
  • an important parameter to measure for quality assurance is the density of the product at an intermediate or final production stage.
  • the density of the pellets is within a narrow specified range to ensure that the pellets are suitable for their application.
  • apparatus for automatically measuring the density of an object which comprises a first weighing means for weighing the object in a first medium which is dry, a second weighing means for weighing an object in a second medium which is wet and a robotic device having a first gripper means to grip the object when dry and a second gripper means to grip the object when wet the device being capable of controlling the first gripper means so as to place the object on and remove it from the first weighing means and for controlling the second gripper means so as to place the object on and remove it from the second weighing means.
  • the apparatus also includes a stage on which an object can be placed temporarily in the dry medium whereby the object may be transferred from the first gripper means after weighing by the first weighing means to the second gripper means prior to being immersed and weighed in the wet second medium.
  • the first medium may conveniently be air and the second medium may conveniently be water of known density, eg distilled water containing a known concentration of wetting agent at a known temperature.
  • the apparatus includes means for measuring the temperature of the second medium. The temperature of the first medium may be measured also if required.
  • a method for automatically measuring the density of an object using the apparatus of the first aspect which comprises the steps of: (a) placing the object by the first gripper means on the first weighing means; (b) weighing the object on the first weighing means; (c) removing the object from the first weighing means by the first gripper means; (d) transferring the object from the first gripper means to the second gripper means; (e) placing the object by the second gripper means on the second weighing means; (f) weighing the object on the second weighing means; and (g) removing the object from the second weighing means by the second gripper means.
  • the object after step (g) is dried eg by transferring the object by the second gripper means to a region where the air from an air drier may be applied.
  • the first and second gripper means may each comprise two or more fingers which can grip the object by a known pneumatic mechanism.
  • the first and second weighing means each desirably comprises a weighing pan and an analytical balance capable of providing an electrical output signal related to the applied load.
  • the two weighing pans may be connected so that the weights recorded by the two weighing pans may be recorded by a common balance which may, for example, be a known balance operating on the principle of electromagnetic force compensation.
  • the output signals from the balance may be applied to a signal processor which is capable of calculating the density D from signals representing W1 and W2 according to the formula given above.
  • An input to the processor representing the water density d will be applied as a pre-determined factor (which varies with temperature).
  • the balance includes a facility for so-called "FACT" (fully automatic calibration).
  • the balance may have means for calibrating the balance, when triggered by an operator, by internally loading reference weights, eg in a motorised operation, so that the processor may calculate a calibration factor which is stored until the next calibration.
  • the means for calibration may itself be checked from time-to-time by using the apparatus and method to measure the density of an object of very accurately known density.
  • the apparatus includes means for applying as inputs to the processor suitable correction signals which apply corrections known to be required. Examples of such corrections are given hereinafter.
  • the present invention may advantageously be used for the automatic measurement of the density of nuclear fuel pellets, eg unground uranium dioxide pellets.
  • the pellets may be taken as samples from a production line of pellets being conveyed in a automatic fuel pellet production plant. After measurement and drying by the apparatus according to the present invention the pellets may be replaced in the production line.
  • Measurement of fuel pellet density automatically by the present invention allows the hazards associated with human handling of radioactive materials to be avoided.
  • the method according to the present invention is superior to the aforementioned prior art method in that measurement errors caused by surface defects such as chips are avoided because the method according to the present invention is essentially not dependent upon object shape or dimensions.
  • the objects are lowered by the second gripper means of the robotic device in the apparatus and method according to the present invention into the second medium to be weighed therein, the objects are lowered carefully so that air bubbles caused by movement in the second medium are avoided.
  • Figure 1 is a partly cross-sectional side elevation of apparatus for automatically measuring the density of nuclear fuel pellets.
  • the pellets to be weighed are sintered UO2 pellets 1 travelling along a pellet conveyer 2 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.
  • the conveyer 2 runs inside an enclosure 3 which has a top opening in the region of the present autodensity measurement apparatus which apparatus is provided on the top surface of a table 4.
  • Measurements of the weight of the pellets 1 are taken inside a container 5 in which is provided a tank 7 of distilled water having a surface level 9.
  • the tank 7 is supported outside the container 5 by a column 11 on the table 4 and inside the container 5 by an accurately adjustable support 13 on the base of the container 5.
  • the container 5 is itself on an accurately adjustable granite support base 15.
  • a dry weighing pan 17 is provided inside the container 5.
  • the pan 17 is connected via a metal strip 19 to a balance (not shown) whereby as a weight is applied to the pan 17 the strip 19 registers a force at the balance.
  • a wet weighing pan 19 is suspended from the dry weighing pan 17.
  • the pan 19 is submerged in the water in the tank 7 whereby when a pellet 1 is placed on the pan 19 the strip 19 again registers a force at the balance.
  • a robotic pick and place device 21 is located adjacent to the container 5.
  • the device 21 has joints at positions A, B, C, D and E which gives the possibility of independent rotation about 5 separate axes as indicated by dashed lines.
  • the joints are operated electro-mechanically.
  • the device 21 also has two pairs of fingers 27 and 29 (one of each pair shown) which are operated pneumatically by air applied via air tubes 31, 33 and a parallel opening chuck 35. Both pairs of fingers 27, 29 may be attached to a single chuck 35 whereby the pairs of fingers open and close together.
  • the fingers 27 are maintained dry and only the fingers 29 are allowed to become wet.
  • the balance is tared before start of the measuring cycle.
  • Pellets 1 whose density is to be measured are picked from the conveyer 3 by the fingers 27 and placed via an opening (not shown) in the wall of the container 5 on the dry weighing pan 17 where the weight of the pellet 1 in air is recorded by the balance.
  • the pellet 1 in this position is denoted by the symbol la in Figure 1.
  • the pellet is picked up by the fingers 27 and deposited on a plate 31 attached to the outside wall of the container.
  • the plate 31 acts as a pellet intermediate stage. From the plate 31 the pellet 1 is picked up by the fingers 29 and thereby lowered into the water in the tank 7 and placed on the wet weighing pan 19 where the weight of the pellet 1 under water is recorded.
  • the pellet 1 in this position is denoted by the symbol lb in Figure 1.
  • the pellet 1 is picked up by the fingers 29 and transferred to a drying station (not shown) where the pellet 1 and fingers 29 are dried by the application of air from an air drier. Finally, the pellet 1 is returned to the conveyer 2.
  • the output of the balance is applied to a processor (not shown) which calculates the density of the material of the pellet 1 in the manner described above using the aforementioned corrections.
  • the temperature of the water inside the tank 7 is monitored and the output is fed to the processor so that any necessary corrections in the density calculation to account for temperature changes can be made and applied.
  • a reference or dummy pellet made of stainless steel of precisely known weight and density is made the subject of density measurement according to the procedure described above.
  • the result obtained from this measurement ensures that the auto-calibration of the balance is within pre-defined limits and that the system is functioning properly.
  • the measurement of the previously sampled number, eg five, pellets is considered to be correct only after the reference pellet measurement has been found to be acceptable. If the reference pellet measurement is found not to be acceptable the previously sampled pellets must be re-introduced into the series of pellets to be weighed and the functioning of the system must be further investigated.
  • This first correction is necessary if it is found that the placing of the pellet 1 on the dry weighing pan 17 causes it to deflect and submerge more than a given level of the wet weighing pan 19 in the water in the tank 7.
  • the density of the object is assumed to be a given arbitrary value eg 8gcm ⁇ 1. If the object eg pellet 1 being weighed has a density less or greater than this a correction factor A1 needs to be calculated as follows: where D is the density of the object being measured, D1 is the arbitrary assumed density and Da is the density of air which may be assumed to be 0.0012gcm ⁇ 1 at normal room temperatures.
  • A1 may be calculated as 0.999961 for a UO2 pellet (assumed density 10.8gcm ⁇ 1) and 0.999986 for a Monel stainless steel standard pellet (assumed density 8.8gcm ⁇ 1)
  • the density of the water/wetting agent solution has been calculated for various temperatures in 0.5°C steps. At the time of each wet weighing the water temperature is measured and the appropriate water density value is selected from a stored table.
  • the density of the reference pellet which is measured after each set of sampled pellets is corrected to a 20°C value if the water temperature is significantly different from 20°C. If the reference pellet is manufactured from Monel alloy it will have a relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion compared with UO2. A similar correction could be applied to the measured UO2 pellets as well but may not be considered necessary.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
  • Medicines That Contain Protein Lipid Enzymes And Other Medicines (AREA)
  • Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)
  • Spectrometry And Color Measurement (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)
EP94301359A 1993-02-26 1994-02-25 Gerät und Verfahren zur automatischen Bestimmung der Dichte eines Gegenstandes Expired - Lifetime EP0612995B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB939303887A GB9303887D0 (en) 1993-02-26 1993-02-26 An apparatus and a method for automatically measuring the density of an object
GB9303887 1993-02-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0612995A1 true EP0612995A1 (de) 1994-08-31
EP0612995B1 EP0612995B1 (de) 1999-05-19

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94301359A Expired - Lifetime EP0612995B1 (de) 1993-02-26 1994-02-25 Gerät und Verfahren zur automatischen Bestimmung der Dichte eines Gegenstandes

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US5606126A (de)
EP (1) EP0612995B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH0755681A (de)
KR (1) KR940020115A (de)
CA (1) CA2116408A1 (de)
DE (1) DE69418507T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2132335T3 (de)
GB (1) GB9303887D0 (de)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000055596A1 (de) * 1999-03-17 2000-09-21 Mettler-Toledo Gmbh Wägeeinrichtung zur dichtebestimmung
FR2844595A1 (fr) * 2002-09-12 2004-03-19 Marcel Canetti Procede et dispositif pour la mesure de densite, notamment d'une personne
CN108007820A (zh) * 2017-12-29 2018-05-08 安徽佩吉智能科技有限公司 一种检测密度的机器人系统及其检测方法
CN108225977A (zh) * 2017-12-29 2018-06-29 安徽佩吉智能科技有限公司 基于智能机器人系统的物体密度检测方法
CN114459952A (zh) * 2022-02-16 2022-05-10 山西汾西重工有限责任公司 密度测量装置及方法
US12399096B2 (en) 2019-10-16 2025-08-26 Dimensionics GmbH Automatic measuring machine, manufacturing facility and method

Families Citing this family (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6321589B1 (en) * 1999-06-25 2001-11-27 Instrotek, Inc. Methods and apparatus for sealing a porous material sample for density determination using water displacement methods and associated surface conformal resilient compressible bags
GB9926535D0 (en) * 1999-11-09 2000-01-12 Terraillon Holdings Ltd A weighing scale
US6684684B2 (en) 2000-05-30 2004-02-03 Instrotek, Inc. Systems and methods for determining the porosity and/or effective air void content of compacted material
US6718832B1 (en) 2000-09-19 2004-04-13 John C. Hay, Jr. Method and apparatus for measuring physical properties of matter
AU2001292639A1 (en) 2000-09-19 2002-04-02 Fast Forward Devices, Llc Method and apparatus for measuring physical properties of matter
FR2868538B1 (fr) * 2004-04-06 2006-05-26 Commissariat Energie Atomique Procede et systeme de determination de la masse volumique et des caracteristiques dimensionnelles d'un objet, et application au controle des pastilles de combustible nucleaire en cours de fabrication
WO2007095648A1 (en) * 2006-02-23 2007-08-30 Engineering Academy Of Armenia Method for density determination of porous materials
US20080092650A1 (en) * 2006-10-24 2008-04-24 Curtis Charles Courian Buoyancy measuring and testing tank
DE102007021684B3 (de) * 2007-05-09 2008-10-30 Audi Ag Verfahren zur Ermittlung der Güte eines Gussbauteiles
IT201600093716A1 (it) * 2016-09-19 2018-03-19 Ceramic Instr Srl Strumento automatico per la determinazione della densità apparente di un oggetto
CN107356496B (zh) * 2017-07-13 2018-11-20 四川大学 一种水测芯块密度测量设备
CN108254292B (zh) * 2017-12-29 2024-07-26 安徽佩吉智能科技有限公司 一种智能密度检测设备及其检测方法
CN112858094A (zh) * 2021-01-15 2021-05-28 四川同人精工科技有限公司 一种芯体密度测量装置自动控制方法及系统

Citations (3)

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US3991619A (en) * 1973-11-28 1976-11-16 Monsanto Chemicals Limited Apparatus for measuring specific gravity
US4830565A (en) * 1986-12-01 1989-05-16 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Robot gripper mechanism and method for sampling nuclear fuel pellets
SU1582073A1 (ru) * 1987-06-15 1990-07-30 Куйбышевское специальное конструкторское бюро Научно-производственного объединения "Нефтехимавтоматика" Устройство дл определени плотности образцов

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GB1095128A (en) * 1964-08-18 1967-12-13 Commissariat Energie Atomique An apparatus for weighing solid samples in air and in a liquid
US3787761A (en) * 1972-05-15 1974-01-22 Gen Electric Method of detecting magnetic additives in nuclear fuel material by noting change in weight of material when weighed in a magnetic field
US3747416A (en) * 1972-07-17 1973-07-24 Thiokol Chemical Corp Density measurement apparatus
US4320658A (en) * 1980-09-03 1982-03-23 Frito-Lay, Inc. Weighing apparatus
FR2513758B1 (fr) * 1981-09-25 1985-12-20 Rech Geolog Miniere Procede et dispositif de mesure rapide et precise des volumes et densites des solides
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US3991619A (en) * 1973-11-28 1976-11-16 Monsanto Chemicals Limited Apparatus for measuring specific gravity
US4830565A (en) * 1986-12-01 1989-05-16 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Robot gripper mechanism and method for sampling nuclear fuel pellets
SU1582073A1 (ru) * 1987-06-15 1990-07-30 Куйбышевское специальное конструкторское бюро Научно-производственного объединения "Нефтехимавтоматика" Устройство дл определени плотности образцов

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Title
BIRELLO ET AL.: "Advance in density measurements by means of an automatic hydrostatic weighing system of 100 g capacity", MEASUREMENT, vol. 7, no. 4, 1989, SUNBURY-ON-THAMES, GB, pages 157 - 162, XP000121292 *
SOVIET INVENTIONS ILLUSTRATED Section Ch Week 9113, 15 May 1991 Derwent World Patents Index; Class A35, AN 91-093491/13 *

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000055596A1 (de) * 1999-03-17 2000-09-21 Mettler-Toledo Gmbh Wägeeinrichtung zur dichtebestimmung
FR2844595A1 (fr) * 2002-09-12 2004-03-19 Marcel Canetti Procede et dispositif pour la mesure de densite, notamment d'une personne
CN108007820A (zh) * 2017-12-29 2018-05-08 安徽佩吉智能科技有限公司 一种检测密度的机器人系统及其检测方法
CN108225977A (zh) * 2017-12-29 2018-06-29 安徽佩吉智能科技有限公司 基于智能机器人系统的物体密度检测方法
CN108225977B (zh) * 2017-12-29 2020-04-21 安徽佩吉智能科技有限公司 基于智能机器人系统的物体密度检测方法
CN108007820B (zh) * 2017-12-29 2023-09-08 安徽佩吉智能科技有限公司 一种检测密度的机器人系统及其检测方法
US12399096B2 (en) 2019-10-16 2025-08-26 Dimensionics GmbH Automatic measuring machine, manufacturing facility and method
CN114459952A (zh) * 2022-02-16 2022-05-10 山西汾西重工有限责任公司 密度测量装置及方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US5606126A (en) 1997-02-25
ES2132335T3 (es) 1999-08-16
DE69418507T2 (de) 2000-01-13
KR940020115A (ko) 1994-09-15
DE69418507D1 (de) 1999-06-24
JPH0755681A (ja) 1995-03-03
GB9303887D0 (en) 1993-04-21
EP0612995B1 (de) 1999-05-19
CA2116408A1 (en) 1994-08-27

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